Witness in Identity Theft and Tax Trial Convicted of Perjury and Lying to a Federal Agent

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 28, 2012

Washington - A federal jury in Montgomery, Alabama, convicted Nacretia Lewis today of perjury and lying to a federal agent, the Justice Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced.

According to the indictment and evidence introduced at trial, Lewis testified falsely in September 2011 in a tax fraud trial in the Middle District of Alabama. The defense in the tax fraud trial presented an alibi defense regarding the whereabouts of the defendant on trial on Jan. 20, 2011. Lewis was convicted of lying about being with Janika Fernae Bates at a place other than NCO Financial Systems Inc., their workplace, at precisely the same time witnesses at trial placed Bates at NCO. The evidence showed that after her testimony, Lewis met with federal agents and again lied about her whereabouts and Bates’ whereabouts on January 20, 2011. After a five-day trial, Bates was convicted of thirteen felony counts and sentenced to 94 months in federal prison.

Lewis faces a potential maximum sentence of ten years in federal prison and a fine of up to $500,000.

The case was investigated by Special Agents of the IRS-Criminal Investigation. Trial Attorneys Justin Gelfand and Jason Poole of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting this case.

Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/tax.